The use of so-called “cannons” by a user to shoot confetti at amusement parks, concerts, and other events has long been enthusiastically enjoyed by audiences. Such cannons are powered by compressed gas tanks, or compressed gas cylinders, which operate at pressures in the order of 600-800 p.s.i., and the cannons are usually in the order of several feet long, with a wall thickness in the order of ¼ inch and composed of PVC or metal tubing. Accordingly, such systems are expensive, bulky and are not safe in the hands of non-professional users. In addition, cannons which are designed for use with CO2 cartridges, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,756,737 and 5,149,290 operate on the basis of puncturing the seal on the compressed gas cartridge such as CO2 cartridge such that the entire cartridge is suddenly emptied of the high pressure gas in one, uncontrolled and uncontrollable discharge. Such operation not only has obvious safety hazards, but it is also expensive in that each CO2 cartridge can only provide one shot of confetti from the cannon. Thus, it is not possible to shoot a plurality of small loads of confetti with a single cartridge as is desirable for the user on stage or at relatively small parties and other festive occasions like shows, parties like birthday, wedding, Christmas and New Year's Eve, stage shows, rock concerts, conventions, parades, circus acts and other events so as to produce displays of sound, color and motion. These lightweight materials, in general, create an atmosphere of festivities and excitement for partygoers and/or spectators. Common examples of these lightweight materials include confetti, streamers, glitters, plush balls, foam shapes, etc. Confetti is often created from paper or polyvinyl film that is cut into different shapes, styles, and sizes. Confetti can also be made in a variety of different colors and shapes. Streamers are long strips of paper or polyvinyl film that are curled up into rolls. As by the confetti and/or the streamers are projected into the air, they scatter and fall creating a pleasing visual effect.
At small events, these lightweight materials can be projected by hand or a handheld device. But at larger events, particularly those that are held in wide areas, a specialized projector may be required. The projector such as a confetti cannon often makes use of an ejection member forming the barrel of the cannon. At the base of the barrel is a force supplying apparatus such as a motorized fan, gun-powder-explosive system, or compressed air from a pressurized canister.
Bursts of confetti and/or streamers shot out of the cannons connected to compressed gas sources have long been used, but in an uncontrolled manner. In addition to these cost and environmental factors, prior cannons have been designed so as to remain connected to the compressed gas source; such sources being in the form of a compressed air line, tank or cylinder, or a CO2 cartridge. That is, the systems have been designed with the closed ends of the cannons bolted or otherwise relatively permanently connected to the compressed gas source, and the cannons are re-used by refilling them with confetti and/or streamers after each use. This presents a serious problem when the cannons are mounted in the rafters or other structures near the ceiling of a theater, hotel ballroom, auditorium or the like where it is difficult to reach them and reload them. This is particularly true with conventional confetti which is difficult and time-consuming to pack and “fluff” into the cannons. As a result, such reloading operations are very slow, labor-intensive and costly operations, particularly when repeatedly shooting half a dozen or more cannons at each of eight or more shows each day. In that situation, there is the further problem that there may not be sufficient time between shows to reload more than several cannons. Thus, the number of cannons which can be used at each show is sometimes limited by the time required for refilling the cannons. In addition, with the use of conventional confetti, it is impossible to predetermine the size or shape of the cloud of confetti produced each time because the compacting and fluffing procedures cannot be held constant.
Thus there is a need for a launching device which provides multiple shots of confetti from the cannon with a single cartridge, however the device can be used as a single shot trigger with a smaller size cartridge, further the device is simple yet easy to manually shoot confetti in a controlled manner and the device having provisions for easy and quick loading and unloading of an elongated hollow tube such as cannons.
Numerous innovations for launching devices have been provided in the prior art as described above. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for confetti launching devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. Thus a simple yet capable of executing single shot as well as multiple shots of confetti from the cannon with a single cartridge in a controlled manner is needed. Further inexpensive, portable and simple design of the present invention allows a user to operate, control and manage the device effectively. Even to quickly attach and detach the cannons requires no skill and training, thus it is easy to use and safe.